Mediawatch for 10 March 2024
TVNZ has proposed big cuts to news that could leave the country with only one daily TV news bulletin and almost no current affairs on TV within weeks.
On this page
Political post-mortems - and lessons from the past
enAugust 14, 2022
About this Episode
Has the media focus on political failings become just too intense? A new book lifting the lid on the National Party in opposition has revealed more about the struggles, scandals and scraps that were heavily reported at the time. Mediawatch asks a former political reporter who dug into Labour’s years in The Wilderness what we learn from political post-mortems like these.
Recent Episodes from Mediawatch
Midweek Mediawatch - it's the end of the news as we know it?
In this week's edition of Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Emile Donovan about job cuts looming at TVNZ as its crosstown rival Newshub faces a shut-down. Also: coverage of Chris Luxon's terrible, no-good week - and Heavy Metal Morning Report.
Mediawatch: Apocalypse now?
For years news media bosses warned the creaking business model backing journalism would fail at a major local outlet. It finally happened this week when Newshub’s owners proposed scrapping it. Then TVNZ posted losses prompting warnings of more cuts to come there. Can TV broadcasters pull a crowd without news? And what might the so-far ambivalent government do?
Three no longer a hub for news
Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to shut down Newshub was met with mourning within the media - and also concern about what could replace it in the media ecosystem
TVNZ's losses point to media-wide strife
Mediawatch: TVNZ’s latest losses signal likely cuts to come. But it’s the slump in income for the broadcaster that dominates free-to-air TV which will worry the entire media industry.
Mediawatch
enFebruary 29, 2024
Midweek Mediawatch - Newshub's brutal 'proposal'
Midweek Mediawatch - Mediawatch’s weekly catch-up with Nights. Colin Peacock talked to Emile Donovan about the sudden and startling news of Newshub’s impending demise in a ‘proposal’ from the global owner. Also: is it wrong for journalists to use ‘big tech’ tools to scrub the sound of real people from reports - or bum notes at the Superbowl?
Welfare and immigration set for a 'reset'
The PM’s State of the Nation speech got the media’s attention when he said welfare needs reform. He didn't mention record-level immigration but that’s also been deemed unsustainable and set for a reset too. What did the media tell about these problems - and what’s at stake?
A lifeboat to keep news afloat?
Last week the great and good of New Zealand’s news media urged MPs to back a law change to make Google and Facebook pay them for their news. They say the income could be critical to the survival of journalism here. But the lobby group campaigning for better public media says there’s a better way to ‘send a lifeboat’.
Milking Kiwi Swifties' FOMO
As the biggest pop star on the planet packed out huge Australian arenas this week, the media here milked Kiwi Swifties’ anger over missing out. It also aired confusing blame-game claims about why Swift gave New Zealand a swerve in the first place - and where the big gigs might be held in future.
Mediawatch for 25 February 2024
Government 'resets' immigration and welfare; another way to make Google and Facebook to pay for journalism; media milk Kiwi Swifties' stadium FOMO.